The present invention relates to movable wall systems, and more particularly to an expandable wall start for connecting a movable wall to an existing structural wall.
Commercial buildings typically include large open office areas which are divided into smaller work spaces or workstations by any of a number of space divider and panel systems. These space divider arrangements typically use upright space-dividing wall panels which serially connect together to subdivide the office area into multiple smaller workstations of desired size and configuration. These space-dividing wall panel systems may be preferable in many cases over “hard” or permanent architectural walls typically built of studs and drywall because they are typically reconfigurable. Movable wall panel systems achieve substantially the same result of subdividing a building space, while also providing flexibility in being able to disassemble and move the walls when reconfiguring the building space.
Securing wall panels to the existing architectural walls is generally a long and tedious job that often entails using fasteners such as nails and/or screws to mount the wall panels directly to the finished architectural walls. The fasteners are typically exposed and detract from the general appearance of the building.
Other wall panel systems utilize an attachment mechanism, commonly referred to as a “wall start,” for attaching the first in a series of movable wall panels to the finished surface of the existing architectural wall. Typically, the side edge of the movable wall panel is positioned a distance away from the architectural wall and uses an interface piece, such as a bracket, to connect the movable wall panel to the architectural wall. The interface piece is mounted to the movable wall panel, but does not integrate the visual appearance of the movable wall and the existing wall, and provides an abrupt transition.